1. Field of the Invention
This present invention relates to a plate and more particularly to a plate placed on a revolving conveyor for the purpose of serving food to customers in restaurants.
2. Prior Art
It is well known that there are many different types of plates especially for serving food.
Some are designed beautifully for the display of food while others are designed for the sole purpose of serving special types of food. Sushi, being one of the most popular delicacies served in Japanese restaurants, is served on specially designed plates.
There are two types of sushi: Nigiri-zushi being a small piece of rice topped with a slice of fish (cooked or raw) and Maki-zushi consisting of strips of raw fish and/or vegetables rolled in rice and wrapped in a thin crisp sheet of dried seaweed. Inasmuch as raw material is mainly used for sushi, maintaining its freshness and the temperature are very important factors. Normally sushi is served at the counter or sushi bar, as they say. The sushi chef on one side of the counter takes the orders, prepares the sushi and serves it on a plate in front of the customer who sits on another side of the counter.
Recently a few restaurants have attempted to use revolving conveyors installed alongside the counter to serve sushi. This type of revolving food serving system is protected under U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,086. All types of sushi are prepared in advance, and each plate with sushi thereon is placed on the revolving conveyor. The customer selects the plate with the sushi of his liking and partakes of the sushi. This conveyor system is beneficial for both customers and the restaurant. Orders need not be placed by customers each time, and for the restaurant it eliminates the process of taking orders and serving the food thereby reducing costs.
However, the above-described conveyor system has problems. As described above, typical sushi uses uncooked food material such as raw fish. Accordingly, if customers do not find their favorite sushi on the revolving conveyor and do not pick up any, sushi is just left on the revolving conveyor and keeps rotating around the counter many times. Such uneaten sushi is exposed to surrounding air and eventually dries up, deteriorating not only the freshness and taste but also the color. Leaving the raw material food for some time on a revolving conveyer is not preferable in view of sanitation and health of customers.
For this reason and in an effort to comply with the requirements of the sanitation authorities such as the National Sanitization Foundation (NSF) which enforces strict codes for equipment, etc., a few restaurants have attempted to utilize a tunnel-shaped cover for the entire length of the revolving conveyor. Consistent low temperature is maintained for the interior of such a cover and it would also keep out dust, etc. This idea would however be too expensive for restaurants and the interior of the restaurant would probably deteriorate. In addition, it would be difficult for such a cover to maintain the same proper temperature for the sushi. Also to install a cooling system to maintain a certain low temperature would incur additional expenses. The end result is that many of the restaurants have been forced to abandon the idea of serving sushi using this type of revolving conveyor system.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to solve the problem of the existing system of serving food on conveyors. At the same time, a means must be found to provide a steady and suitable temperature for food on plates protected with a simple structure thereby doing away with covers alongside the sushi counter and at the same time meeting the strict requirements set forth by the sanitation authorities.
Another object of the present invention is to provide the best conditions for serving sushi on plates on a conveyor system.
These goals are attainable by possibly placing an ice disc (about xe2x88x9210xc2x0 C. to xe2x88x925xc2x0 C.) in a centrally located recessed depression of a plate whereby a suitable low temperature can be maintained for the food placed on the plate. The plate with a magnet installed in the bottom will be stabilized on a revolving conveyor. Furthermore, a cover will always keep the food at a desired temperature and prevent the food from being exposed to outside air.
In other words, in the present invention, the plate is provided with a central recess and an ice disc made of material that would change to a solid icy state. The food such as sushi will then be placed on this ice disc with a thin sheet in between whereby suitable temperature can be maintained to preserve the taste and freshness of the food. In addition, a magnet can be attached to the bottom of the plate so that it is attracted to the conveyor""s steel chain and become immobile. Furthermore, inside the transparent cover for the plate an ice disc is installed, so that it can efficiently maintain an appropriate low temperature as compared to the outside temperature.